“We must not only be patient with others, infinitely patient, but also with our own poor selves.”

A Tidbit

The “Founder”, Bahá’u’lláh

(1817-1892)

Bahá’u’lláh—the “Glory of God”—is the Promised One foretold by . . . all of the Divine Messengers of the past. Bahá’u’lláh delivered a new Revelation from God to humanity. Thousands of verses, letters and books flowed from His pen. In His Writings, He outlined a framework for the development of a global civilization which takes into account both the spiritual and material dimensions of human life. For this, He endured 40 years of imprisonment, torture and exile.

During the month of November, Baha’i Blogging is hosting a post-a-day-or-so something related to or inspired by Faith. Because so many of you follow both this blog and CATNIPblog Peggy & I will post our “dailies” here and Sunday “retrospectives” on CATNIPblog.com

My husband is examining the gouged edges of the breakfast table wicker chairs. “There are no scraps of wicker anywhere. Can you believe he swallowed it!. Maybe we should take him to the vet?”

“Max! That’s what I’ve decided. Max!” Figured I’d better find an acceptable name quickly before Homer found himself back at the animal shelter. “Max? Are you sure you want to call him Max?” My husband is now thrown off guard by my sudden decision and appropriately distracted from the gouged wicker chairs. Max goes over to give him a lick.

I am beginning to worry about this dog’s seemingly insatiable appetite for all things previously thought to be inedible. Wanting to avert further “incidents” and to appease my husband before Max is dog-meat, I buy a spray , an EXPENSIVE spray “guaranteed to stop animals from chewing . Bitter apple. Can’t be more freshly organic than that. Do not want to harm my sweet little angel, just protect him from indigestion.

Since he had already developed a taste for wicker in the dog shelterI spray the wicker chairs first. Max eagerly runs over to see what I’m doing, licks the bitter apple cleanly off the wicker legs, looks up at me angelically with big brown eyes, gives me a lick or two, trots back to the couch to soften up the coverlet by sucking on the tattered edge.

I re-read the fine print on the Bitter Apple. It says chewing, no mention of eating. No listing of wicker chairs, throws and comforters (oh yes, forgot to mention pillow cases). Not wanting to spend more money I try what’s on hand – cayenne pepper . . . wasabi powder . . . tabasco . . . Each flavor being more tasty than the next. We put the chairs up on the table. Throw the throw, comforter and pillow cases to the dogs, so to speak. And wait for signs of acid indigestion.

This is a dog who now has a proper name that reflects his personality – distinct but cute, short but sweet, unique and memorable, independent but loving and a gourmand not a gourmet.